Southern Laos by Bicycle

Your biking sojourn takes you through the Southern Lowlands from Pakse down to the Cambodian border before heading north and then east to the fertile lands of the coffee rich Bolaven Plateau. You'll cover up to 262 km (162.8 mi) in 6 cycling days, and much of the terrain is quite flat except for the days up on the plateau. There are some great natural attractions and the chance to spot the rare Irrawaddy dolphins makes this one tour that has absolutely something for everyone. Along the way, the scenery is constantly changing: you'll go from arid scrub land to jungle to lush green valleys. The views at some of the places you'll be staying in are absolutely amazing, and this, combined with the changing scenery, make this tour a feast for the eyes. Apart from cycling, there will be some time to see 5th century temples of Wat Phu, some wonderful waterfalls, visit one of the best coffee growing areas in the world, and hopefully are lucky enough to sight the elusive Irrawaddy dolphins from one of the Mekong's 4,000 islands.

Suitability: This ride is a great one for novices and experts alike. Most of this ride is flat apart from the end of Day 5 and the start of Day 6, and it undulates on Day 8. The road surfaces are generally very good and so make for easier riding. Anyone who has moderate fitness will enjoy this tour.

Biking Conditions: The road surfaces are mixed: most days you'll ride on reasonably good quality asphalt roads, but there are enough rides on very badly broken or dirt tracks to mean you will need a mountain bike, preferably one with front shocks. However, there is nothing technical involved on this tour, and anyone, assuming they are fit enough, will be able to join no matter how little cycling experience they have. A support truck is always available to help when
required, except on Day 4 when you ride on the islands.